Sandra McCurdy, Ph.D., Extension Food Safety Specialist, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Idaho

Session 2: How the Regulation of Food Safety Works.

The roles and responsibilities as seen by Federal and State regulators, industry and consumers.

How do the different food safety agencies function? Are there gaps? Are consumer practices affecting policy? What are the challenges and benefits of Federal and State agency consolidation? How has the response to Homeland security/bio-terrorism threats impacted food safety practices?

Experts from the EU, UK, Australia/New Zealand, China and the World Health Organization discuss international food protection. How is food safety maintained as products travel through the global marketplace?

How do reporters get the story, and get it right, in the middle of media frenzy? How do they get the information they need to inform and protect the public? What is the role of the media in disseminating public health information?